Container holder tray

ABSTRACT

A combination clamp assembly and drip tray including two circular openings in a flat retainer tray; each opening separately receiving a cylindrical container. A flat cam-actuated slide member having a semicircular recess therein is positioned about each opening for engaging the container about a portion of the container&#39;&#39;s periphery to thereby effect clamping.

United States Patent inventor James A. Gageby Minneapolis, Minn. Appl. No. 29,420 Filed Apr. 23, 1970 Patented Dec. 28, 1971 Assignee Studebaker Corporation Minneapolis, Minn.

CONTAINER HOLDER TRAY 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[1.8. CI 24/81 E, 24/263 B Int. Cl. A44b 21/00 Field of Search 24/81 E, 81 CC, 263.4; 206/65 CT; 248/313 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 620,495 2/1899 Ramseaur 24/2634 UX 1,492,443 4/1924 Francis..... 248/313 1,800,109 4/1931 Selig 24/81 E UX FOREIGN PATENTS 610,571 1926 France 248/313 Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin I Attorney-Merchant & Gould ABSTRACT: A combination clamp assembly and drip tray including two circular openings in a flat retainer tray; each opening separately receiving a cylindrical container. A flat cam-actuated slide member having a semicircular recess therein is positioned about each opening for engaging the container about a portion of the containers periphery to thereby effect clamping.

PATENTEB $828 an 3529307 'iiiilii INVENTOR. JAEs R. Gm May wwMw A T TORNE' Y3 CONTAINER HOLDER TRAY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to apparatus for clamping a container and particularly to a container-holder for securely clamping cylindrical cartons in a manner so as to form a drip tray thereabout.

Economical and readily manufactured apparatus for fixedly holding a container is highly desirable. Particularly desirable is apparatus for rigidly clamping a cylindrical container containing a frozen food product, such as ice cream or the like; within a refrigerated compartment. Preferably, the clamping apparatus should allow easy access to the food product within the container and also allow the container to be readily inserted and withdrawn from the refrigerated compartment. Further, the clamping assembly should be easily disassembled and reassembled for cleaning purposes. Finally, it is desirable that the clamping assembly be designed so as to minimize the required cleaning of the refrigerated storage compartment. In providing the last-mentioned feature, it is desirable that the clamping assembly be designed so as to form a horizontal shelf or drip tray entirely encircling the upper end of the vertical container when it is clamped therein so as to prevent the introduction of foreign substances, such as ice cream drippage or spillage, into the area of the refrigerated storage compartment beneath the clamping assembly.

The structure of U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,658 to R. H. Swanson provides a plurality of clamping bodies having recesses therein adapted to receive and clamp cylindrical containers; however, this apparatus is not as simple in design as is the present invention. Further, the present invention is additionally improved over the structure of US. Pat. No. 3,411,658 in that it is more easily cleaned, it is not dependent upon all of the apertures being filled, and it is not dependent upon the sidewalls of the refrigerated compartment for either support or clamping force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The clamping apparatus provided by the present invention comprises a generally flat planar retainer tray having at least one opening therein which is suitable for receiving a container. A flat planar slide member is carried on a guiding means and is positioned about one side of the opening in the retainer tray in an adjacent parallel relationship therewith. Operative means are associated with the slide member so as to move the slide member along the guide means thereby allowing the size of the opening in the retainer tray to be selectively increased or decreased.

Clamping of the container is effected by positioning the container within the opening and then reducing the size of the opening by moving the slide member toward the container until it engages therewith. In a preferred embodiment, the

retainer tray has two circular openings each having a diameterslightly larger than the diameter of the cylindrical container to be inserted therein. The operative means includes a cam centrally positioned between the two openings for simultaneously moving the slide members positioned about both openings. In the clamped position, the slide members close or fill the clearance between the edge of the respective circular opening and the slightly smaller container inserted therein so as to form a drip tray.

The completely self-contained container-holder tray, as defined above, is economical and readily manufactured. The simplified design provided by the present invention is desirably sanitary. The clamping force is not dependent upon the vertical walls of the compartment, and also, it is not necessary that the container holder be supported by the vertical walls of the refrigerated compartment. Furthermore, the present invention securely clamps the cartons therein so as to prevent rotational or other movement thereof. Finally, the container-holder is designed so as to be easily disassembled and assembled for cleaning and so as to form a drip tray'when a container is held therein. As mentioned previously, the drip tray feature is particularly desirable since it prevents foreign substances from entering the area of the refrigerating storage compartment below the retainer tray, and, as a result, reduces the cleaning required in this area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an exploded perspective view of a preferred container-holder assembly provided by the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the container-holder assembly shown in FIG. I wherein the clamping mechanism is illustrated in the unclamped position;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the container-holder assembly shown in FIG. I wherein the clamp assembly is illustrated in both the clamped and unclamped positions;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As illustrated in the drawings, a container-holder assembly, generally designated 10, comprises a generally flat planar retainer tray 11 having first and second circular openings 12 and 13, respectively, therein. First and second flat planar slide members 16 and I7, respectively, are shown removedfrom their normal assembled position in FIG. I so as to more clearly illustrate their design. As illustrated, slide members 16 and 17 define generally identical, oppositely disposed, semicircular recesses I8 and 19, respectively, therein. Preferably, the slide members are generally rectangular in shape having semicircular recesses 18 and 19 in the edges of the members opposite the adjacent parallel faces 20 and 21, respectively. When assembled and in the unclamped position, slide members 16 and 17 are held by a guiding means shown as channels 22 and 23 so that semicircular recesses I8 and 19 are positioned about adjacent sides of circular openings 12 and 13, respectively, generally coincident with the circumstances thereof. Channels 22 and 23 are positioned longitudinally along opposite edges of rectangularly shaped tray 11 and maintain the slide members in an adjacent parallel relationship with the tray. Preferably, tray 11 and channels 22 and 23 form an integral unit.

An opening 24 is centrally positioned between circular openings 12 and 13 for receiving shaft 25 therethrough. A cam means 27 is fastened to shaft 25 by any suitable means such as a force snap fit. Preferably, cam 27 is of a generally elongated or rectangular shape having slightly rounded corners. Connected to the opposite end of shaft 25 is a rotating means or handle 29 which is designed to permit manual rotation of cam 27. As illustrated, shaft 25 extends through a washer 30 which is provided to reduce the wearing of tray lI about opening 24.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2-5, cam 27 is centrally positioned between slide members 16 and I7; and cam 27 has oppositely disposed sides 27a and 27b and opposite ends 27c and 2711. When the container-holder assembly is in the position shown by the solid lines in the bottom view of FIG. 3, sides 27a and 27b are parallel to faces 20 and 21 of slide members I6 and 17, respectively. Preferably, when cam 27 is in this posi tion, faces 20 and 21 are closely adjacent cam faces 27a and 27b, respectively, and, as explained previously, the circumferences of semicircular recesses 18 and 19 are generally coincident with the circumferences of openings 12 and I3, respectively. This position of cam 27 and slide members 16 and I7 is herein referred to as the unclamped or released position.

Circular openings I2 and 13 act as receptacles for cylindrical containers or cartons 36 and 37, respectively, shown in FIG. 4. The diameters of circular openings 12 and I3 are slightly larger than the diameters of the cylindrical containers such that the containers can be readily inserted therein. Normally, containers 36 and 37 will be made from a heavy card.

board or the like. As shown in H0. 4, retainer tray 11 is positioned in a horizontal plane and the containers extend vertically downward therefrom. The completely self-contained clamping unit can be horizontally mounted within a conventional refrigerating compartment in any number of ways well known in the art, or it can simply be supported by the containers about which it is clamped.

in the preferred embodiment, semicircular recesses 18 and 19 are contoured so as to engage or conform upon substantially one-half of the periphery or circumference of containers 36 and 37, respectively. Contouring the recesses in this manner maximizes the area over which the clamping force is applied to the containers.

In operation, cylindrical containers 36 and 37 are inserted into openings 12 and 13, respectively, when the clamping apparatus is in the released position. Since the diameters of the cartons are slightly smaller than the diameters of circular openings 12 and 13, a small amount of clearance is present between each carton and the edge of the respective opening. To clamp the cartons, handle 29 is manually rotated causing cam 27 to engage slide members 16 and 17 thereby moving the slide members in opposite directions along channels 22 and 23. Slide members 16 and 17 continue to move along the channels toward the opposite sides of openings 12 and 13 until they engage with containers 36 and 37, respectively, thereby wedging the cartons between the slide member and the opposite side of the respective opening. This position of cam 27 and slide members 16 and 17 is herein referred to as the clamped position. Normally, the containers are clamped about the upper end thereof.

The clamped position is illustrated in FIG. 3 by the dotted slide members 16 and 17 and cam 27 and is again illustrated in FIG. 4. As can be seen from the drawings, when the containerholder assembly is in the clamped position, dotted slide members 16 and 17 are in semicircular engagement with containers 36 and 37, respectively, and extend from the engagement therewith to the circumference of circular openings 12 and 13. That is, the width of each rectangular slide member is sufficient to fill the clearance between the portion of the container periphery against which it engages and the edge or circumference of each respective opening. As illustrated, the remaining container periphery is wedged against the edge of the opening in which it is inserted. As a result, the clamped container is entirely encircled so as to form a drip tray and to prevent any rotation of the container during the removal of the food product therefrom.

By selecting the length of elongated cam 27 so that the container-holder is in the clamped position when handle 29 has been rotated 90, the binding action exerted on the generally flat ends 270 and 27d of cam 27 by containers 36 and 37, respectively, prevents rotation of the shaft to the released position. As a result, the cam will remain in its holding position until manually rotated to its release position.

To remove the containers from openings 12 and 13, cam 27 is rotated to its release position which removes the pressure exerted on slide members 16 and 17. The slide members are then free to move toward one another along channels 22 and 23 thereby increasing the physical dimensions of openings 12 and 13 and allowing removal of the cartons therefrom.

As is apparent from the above description, the clamp assembly of the present invention exerts a clamping force which is applied separately to the containers inserted within openings 12 and 13. As a result, either one or two cartons may be retained per holder tray.

Whereas the present invention has been described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that numerous modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. For example, the composition of the drip tray and clamping apparatus is dictated only by the consideration that the elements be of sufficient strength to provide the necessary holder tray function.

What is claimed is:

l. A containerholder assembl comprising: a. means defining a generally at planar retainer tray having at least one opening therein suitable for receiving a container;

b, means defining a generally flat planar slide member suitable for engagement upon a segment of the periphery of said container, said slide member being positioned about one side of said opening in a generally adjacent parallel relationship with said retainer tray;

c. means for guiding said slide member toward and away from the opposite side of said opening so as to reduce and increase, respectively, the size of said opening; and

d. means operatively associated with said slide member for moving said slide member along said guide means.

2. The container holder assembly of claim 1 wherein:

a. said retainer tray means includes a first and second opening therein each suitable for receiving a container; and

b. said slide member means comprises first and second slide members positioned about said first and second openings, respectively, each in an adjacent relationship with said retainer tray.

3. The container holder assembly of claim 2 wherein said operative means comprises a cam member centrally positioned between said first and second slide members, a shaft connected to said cam member and rotating means connected to said shaft for rotating said cam member into an engaged position with said first and second slide members.

4. The container holder assembly of claim 3 wherein:

a. said retainer tray means includes a third opening therein centrally positioned between said first and second openings;

. said shaft extends through said third opening; and

c. said rotating means is connected to said shaft on the side of said retainer tray opposite said slide members.

5. The container holder assembly of claim 4 wherein:

a. said first and second openings in said retainer tray are substantially circular;

b. said first and second slide members define generally semicircular first and second recesses, respectively,

therein, said first and second recesses being oppositely disposed and positioned generally coincident with the circumferences of said first and second openings, respectively, when in an unclamped position; and

said container is substantially cylindrical.

The container holder assembly of claim 5 wherein:

said circular openings are of substantially equal diameter;

said retainer tray is substantially rectangular; and

said guide means comprises first and second generally parallel channels longitudinally attached to said rectangular tray on opposite sides of said first and second openings.

7. The container holder assembly of claim 6 wherein said first and second slide members comprise generally identical first and second rectangular trays, respectively, each having opposite ends thereof positioned in said first and second channels and defining said oppositely disposed first and second semicircular recesses in opposite edges thereof extending normal to said channels.

8. The container holder assembly of claim 7 wherein said rectangular trays extend from said engagement wit aid containers to the respective circumference of said openings when said container holder assembly is in a clamped position. 

1. A container holder assembly, comprising: a. means defining a generally flat planar retainer tray having at least one opening therein suitable for receiving a container; b. means defining a generally flat planar slide member suitable for engagement upon a segment of the periphery of said container, said slide member being positioned about one side of said opening in a generally adjacent parallel relationship with said retainer tray; c. means for guiding said slide member toward and away from the opposite side of said opening so as to reduce and increase, respectively, the size of said opening; and d. means operatively associated with said slide member for moving said slide member along said guide means.
 2. The container holder assembly of claim 1 wherein: a. said retainer tray means includes a first and second opening therein each suitable for receiving a container; and b. said slide member means comprises first and second slide members positioned about said first and second openings, respectively, each in an adjacent relationship with said retainer tray.
 3. The container holder assembly of claim 2 wherein said operative means comprises a cam member centrally positioned between said first and second slide members, a shaft connected to said cam member and rotating means connected to said shaft for rotating said cam member into an engaged position with said first and second slide members.
 4. The container holder assembly of claim 3 wherein: a. said retainer tray means includes a third opening therein centrally positioned between said first and second openings; b. said shaft extends through said third opening; and c. said rotating means is connected to said shaft on the side of said retainer tray opposite said slide members.
 5. The container holder assembly of claim 4 wherein: a. said first and second openings in said retainer tray are substantially circular; b. said first and second slide members define generally semicircular first and second recesses, respectively, therein, said first and second recesses being oppositely disposed and positioned generally coincident with the circumferences of said first and second openings, respectively, when in an unclamped position; and c. said container is substantially cylindrical.
 6. The container holder assembly of claim 5 wherein: a. said circular openings are of substantially equal diameter; b. said retainer tray is substantially rectangular; and c. said guide means comprises first and second generally parallel channels longitudinally attached to said rectangular tray on opposite sides of said first and second openings.
 7. The container holder assembly of claim 6 wherein said first and second slide members comprise generally identical first and second rectangular trays, respectively, each having opposite ends thereof positioned in said first and second channels and defining said oppositely disposed first and second sEmicircular recesses in opposite edges thereof extending normal to said channels.
 8. The container holder assembly of claim 7 wherein said rectangular trays extend from said engagement with said containers to the respective circumference of said openings when said container holder assembly is in a clamped position. 